


...the answer

by afrocurl



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Body Worship, M/M, Piercings, Surprises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-01
Updated: 2014-04-01
Packaged: 2018-01-17 17:54:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1397095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afrocurl/pseuds/afrocurl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charles had a bad habit that he needed to exercise. Hopefully Erik won't mind the additional metal on his person.</p>
            </blockquote>





	...the answer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ninemoons42](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninemoons42/gifts).



> What will probably be the last in a series that started with [A Matching Set?](http://archiveofourown.org/works/883094) and [love is the...](http://archiveofourown.org/works/982801).

A large ring sat inside a velvet box in Charles’ pocket and he was sure that this decision was possibly too foolish, even for he and Erik. He had made the leap, though, and so Charles was prepared to face the consequences.

_What’s the new metal in your pocket?_ Erik asked mentally as he did his normal scan of Charles’ person at the start of their time together.

_Well, I have a question that answers that if I can be allowed into the apartment._

-

**Three weeks earlier**

Charles looked at the shop as he meandered through downtown and kept coming back to it when he knew better than to focus on something so pedestrian. It was a shop he was not too familiar with, but as he kept himself busy waiting for Erik, the shop appealed more and more.

He and Erik have been together for a year now, and they found a good working rhythm to their lives. Erik’s work at Logan’s had remained consistent, and his own work was as good as could be expected. No one said much about a professor who had a tongue piercing, and no one - save Erik and their piercer - knew of Charles’ other piercing and it would stay that way. They were a couple that looked at odds with each other: Erik’s body a shrine to his affinity for metal and tattoos, Charles’ mostly unblemished skin.

That didn’t mean, however, that Charles didn’t see the appeal of what this store held. Or why he was looking there _now_. Since he was positive that Erik was following all of Charles’ movements via those two rings, Charles stopped himself from going back to the windows and slowly walked towards Logan’s little corner to pick Erik up from work and spend a quiet evening at home.

There would be time later to think more about the shop window and what it meant.

-

As they sat down for dinner, Charles’ mind kept going back to the store he had been trying to avoid, but try as he might, his brain wouldn’t avoid it. He had found himself caught in a loop: thinking about what he could buy there and then trying to avoid thinking about what was in the window lest he bleed the thought to Erik

He was sure that this face looked tight as he tried to school his expressions into something normal, though Erik said nothing. Erik, instead, started to play with the bar in Charles’ mouth and as always, Charles let his mind forget his previous thoughts and relished the feeling of Erik’s ministrations.

Erik’s hands and mutation were more than a welcome distraction.

-

**Two weeks ago**

Still unable to shake the idea, Charles did what he should have done weeks before: he called Raven.

“So I have a problem,” he said matter-of-factly as he tried to wait for Raven to respond.

“Don’t you always have one of those? Labs and all that.” There was a hint of a shrug in her voice, though Charles couldn’t see her.

“Not a work problem. An Erik problem.”

“You have problems with Erik?”

“No. Well, not like you’d think. I caught a look at a bunch of engagement rings at the jeweler in town last week. I haven’t been able to get one out of my head since.”

“Woah,” was all he heard on the other end of the line. 

“I know. I didn’t think I’d get that way, but here we are.”

“You’re sure about this?” It was a question he had been trying to avoid asking himself since he caught the gleaming gold, platinum and silver of the window.

“I think so. We’re at each other’s places every night and we have a routine. I think it makes sense.”

“For normal people sure, Charles, but you and Erik aren’t very normal.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“He fell in lust when he first met you. You’ve fallen in love since then?” Raven wasn’t pulling any punches, which was why he had called in the first place.

“I think so,” was all Charles could say in response.

“Then do it. If it’ll make you happy, do it.”

That decision was easily made now, but it still left Charles with the purchase of actual said ring.

-

**One week ago**

The walk into the store itself felt rather anticlimactic after all of Charles’ hang-ups. A representative of the store greeted him as soon as he walked in and then Charles did all he could to explain the situation. 

He knew that Erik’s sense for metal meant that the ring had to be perfect, but the store was also lacking in most male engagement rings.

In the end, he decided on a simple, if bold, platinum ring that Erik could alter as he saw fit and found another one that suited him for later, if Erik didn’t want to come in and deal with choosing one for Charles.

He left his ring at the store - in case there were any complicating factors - and left with Erik’s ring in a box. There were other things he had to think about now.

-

**Now**

Erik’s mind was curious as he felt the ring in Charles’ pocket and Charles smiled at that. He hadn’t said anything about why he didn’t meet Erik after work, but now it was all Erik’s mind was thinking about.

_Is there something wrong? Do I need to move my stuff from his apartment?_

“Erik, nothing’s wrong. I just had to pick up something. I hope you don’t mind.”

Erik shook his head and asked, “Do I need to do anything?”

“Just stay where you are and let me get through this without throwing up.” Charles looked into Erik’s eyes as he tried to process what Charles had said. “Okay so I know you felt that I kept looking into the window at the jewelry store the other week and there’s a very good reason.”

He stopped, took a deep breath and continued. “I’ve been in love with you for a long time and I can’t imagine my life without you. Will you do me the honor and marry me?”

Charles took the box from his pocket and opened it for Erik to see, but it took an instant for Erik to reply. “Yes, I’d been thinking about it too, but you beat me to it.”

“Good, now put this one on so I can make sure I didn’t fuck up the choice.”

“You couldn’t fuck this up, Charles. We’re together for the long haul now.”


End file.
